I went today and had my bodyfat tested. I don't know how accurate, but it was 19.3 percent. If this is right why do I still feel like I can pinch so much fat, and why do my looks look like cellulite city in good lighting, in the dim light I look fine LOL So what is a good percent for a woman 42 years old???

So what is a good percent for a woman 42 years old???

Don't be so fixated on a number which in reality is nothing more than a shot in the dark. What does the mirror say to you? If it's not showing you what you want to see, there's more work to be done. Body fat measurements are just too quirky for me to place much stock in them beyond what I know from what I see in the mirror.

-R

Ah-

You are stuck in the quandry of "what's healthy" versus "what looks good" - it can be challenging. %-wise you are probably in a very helthy range. My wife's BF% is fairly low but she has cellulite issues too- cellulite is technically damaged cells/skin structure, exercise/fat-loss doesn't necessarily reduce it or at least elminate it.

Doesn't mean you can't shoot for lower!

Ah-

You are stuck in the quandry of "what's healthy" versus "what looks good" - it can be challenging. %-wise you are probably in a very helthy range. My wife's BF% is fairly low but she has cellulite issues too- cellulite is technically damaged cells/skin structure, exercise/fat-loss doesn't necessarily reduce it or at least elminate it.

Doesn't mean you can't shoot for lower!
thanks, I am definitely shooting for lower lol. I would love to get rid of the cellulite, it isn't bad, but I know its there yuck :(

Don't be so fixated on a number which in reality is nothing more than a shot in the dark. What does the mirror say to you? If it's not showing you what you want to see, there's more work to be done. Body fat measurements are just too quirky for me to place much stock in them beyond what I know from what I see in the mirror.

-R
Bluestreak, that is the thing. Somedays I think hey you look pretty good in the mirror, next day I think what it the world happened, you look so soft. Also every mirror in my house I look different. I feel like my clothes are getting tighter, so I know with the muscle gain, I need to still lose the layer of fat. Wish me luck. I am trying, It is very difficult for me sometimes. I need encouragement to keep going.Thanks for all the support. :D

What type of caliper was used and were the readings age adjusted?

Somedays I think hey you look pretty good in the mirror, next day I think what it the world happened, you look so soft.
You are your own worst critic, so i'm sure you look great, but however you should remember that BF testing vary and the number is never spot on accurate especially if yours were done by calipers.

What type of caliper was used and were the readings age adjusted?

I don't know what kind, it looked expensive though, not plactic or cheap looking. Yes she adjusted for age. Does age really matter though? I was just wondering cause the last time I had it checked was a few years ago, and it was 22 or 23 percent I think.

You are your own worst critic, so i'm sure you look great, but however you should remember that BF testing vary and the number is never spot on accurate especially if yours were done by calipers.
I know that it is probably not accurate, but I was just curious as to what they might say. When I do the online bodyfat tester, it is always 19 percent or so. I dunno!!!

It sounds as if a 7 or 9 site caliper was used. If the trainer knew how to take accurate measurements, I would say you are lower than 19%. Adjusting for age takes into consideration the bodyfat surrounding the organs. Additionally, you may be carrying most of your fat in a targeted area which may throw off or give a misguided reading. Go by the mirror and use the calipers as a gauge to indicate whether or not you are going in the right direction. Keep working hard :bb:

It sounds as if a 7 or 9 site caliper was used. If the trainer knew how to take accurate measurements, I would say you are lower than 19%. Adjusting for age takes into consideration the bodyfat surrounding the organs. Additionally, you may be carrying most of your fat in a targeted area which may throw off or give a misguided reading. Go by the mirror and use the calipers as a gauge to indicate whether or not you are going in the right direction. Keep working hard :bb:
So you are saying she used a good caliper, but only took a 3 point test? Also what do you mean if she knew how to use it I would be lower? I am confused. I don't know how well versed she is in taking the measurements though. Hey it was free, so I went with it. lol

wvpumpkin,

Age matters in that for a given look, the percentage is higher for an older person than a younger one. This is because as you advance in age you have more internal fats around your organs: this is protective fat, normal and healthy. You can still cut the visible, subcutaneous fat to look just as lean as someone younger. It's just the number that is different. This from another 42 year-old by the way.

As for cellulite, contrary to what has been said here, it can be removed, burned away like any other fat, according to Tom Venuto who is rather an expert in fat loss. I'll search for the link and post when I find it. You say you want encouragement, that's why I mention that. It's all in the mind. Believe it and it will happen. :)

Vincent.

PS: Sorry can't find the link, some problem in the fitren.com website. It may be in a newsletter but I cannot access the archive.

I don't adjust for age. If she only took the measurements from 3 sites, then obviously something is not right here, especially if she used an expensive looking model as you claim. The only caliper I am aware of which uses 3 sites is the digital accumeasure device. These are exremely unreliable.

I don't adjust for age. If she only took the measurements from 3 sites, then obviously something is not right here, especially if she used an expensive looking model as you claim. The only caliper I am aware of which uses 3 sites is the digital accumeasure device. These are exremely unreliable.

Oh.,ok I understand what you meant now Thanks for the help :)

wvpumpkin,

Age matters in that for a given look, the percentage is higher for an older person than a younger one. This is because as you advance in age you have more internal fats around your organs: this is protective fat, normal and healthy. You can still cut the visible, subcutaneous fat to look just as lean as someone younger. It's just the number that is different. This from another 42 year-old by the way.

As for cellulite, contrary to what has been said here, it can be removed, burned away like any other fat, according to Tom Venuto who is rather an expert in fat loss. I'll search for the link and post when I find it. You say you want encouragement, that's why I mention that. It's all in the mind. Believe it and it will happen. :)

Vincent.

PS: Sorry can't find the link, some problem in the fitren.com website. It may be in a newsletter but I cannot access the archive.

Hey thanks for the encouragement, glad to know I am not the only one in their forties, lol. You know I feel and look better now than I did in my 20, for real. Never to late!!! I was always skinny, but didn't eat right, and stayed tired alot, no muscle tone, I look and feel much better now

Well the electrical handle test doesn't really work, mine was 8% or so off.

Well the electrical handle test doesn't really work, mine was 8% or so off.

What is an electrical handle test??? :confused:

Bluestreak, that is the thing. Somedays I think hey you look pretty good in the mirror, next day I think what it the world happened, you look so soft. Also every mirror in my house I look different. I feel like my clothes are getting tighter, so I know with the muscle gain, I need to still lose the layer of fat. Wish me luck. I am trying, It is very difficult for me sometimes. I need encouragement to keep going.Thanks for all the support. :D
lmao im a guy and i relate to that

i have some funky mirrors in my house


best of luck! whenever i feel that way, it usually goes away fast because deep down you know while you're not where you wanna be yet, you'll get there and you're satisfied enough at this point

sounds to me like you are doing well!

i recommend investing in a myotape, in conjuction with a free website like mybodycomp.com... i love mine because while i may not drop 3% bf each week, i am able to keep track of my growing biceps and shrinking naval =)

for me this is by far the most rewarding way to track my progress...

ok actually the most rewarding is to take pictures!

sounds to me like you are doing well!

i recommend investing in a myotape, in conjuction with a free website like mybodycomp.com... i love mine because while i may not drop 3% bf each week, i am able to keep track of my growing biceps and shrinking naval =)

for me this is by far the most rewarding way to track my progress...

ok actually the most rewarding is to take pictures!
What is a myotape and where do I get this? Why is it different than a regular measuring tape??? : :read:

What is an electrical handle test??? :confused:

Probably he means a bioimpedance analyzer (BIA) such as the OMRON Body Logic Body Fat Analyzer.

Basically this machine views you as an alternating current resistor. You tell it what shape that resistor is, and a resistance measurement tell is what that resistor is made of: how many parts fat and how many parts lean.

Aside from the OMRON there are Tanita scales which work on the same principle, but I've heard the OMRON is better.

I use one. You have to use them correctly - but after that they are supposed to be accurate to within a few percent. For example today the OMRON said 24.4% bf when I got up but now, after a small bowl of corn flakes with milk, it says 24.9%. Now I just did it holding my hands too close to my body and it says 22.8% Sitting down with my hands over my head it says 25.3% (You're supposed to use it standing up with your hands straight out.)

What am I actually? The 24.4% is the correct OMRON number. The "YMCA" formula result is 28.4%. The "US Navy" type calcultation result is 27.95%

Looking in a mirror I believe the 24%. Hard to say because I have an odd shape - big lower body and small upper body.

There are some indirect checks - my VO2max has been trending up (to it's present high of 51). VO2max can't be high without a lot of lean muscle mass. Bench press has been trending up to 225 and squat is up to 300 so I am probably not losing muscle. This means that I don't believe the body fat percentage is increasing as I have been losing weight. This means that I more or less believe the lower numbers from the fluctuating body fat measurements at the moment. If my strength was going down, I would worry more about believing the higher numbers.

Whatever measurements you get they will fluctuate enough that you can't really bother with paying daily attention to them. Once you figure out what to believe, look at the %bf number once a month or less. It's more important than looking at the scale, but it's less important than actual health, function and appearance.

What is a myotape and where do I get this? Why is it different than a regular measuring tape??? : :read:

http://www.bulknutrition.com/?products_id=574


just a measuring tape much easier to use accurately when solo